SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Texas man is riding his motorcycle across the country to honor his son who died as a result of complications with diabetes, as well as to raise awareness for the disease.
Rex Covington, the self-proclaimed Lone Star Rider, has been on the road for nine months, making a stop in the Sacramento area as part of his ride across the country. Covington’s son died in a fiery crash almost three years ago while suffering a low blood sugar incident. He says that weighed heavily on him.
Last year in January, he had a dream — literally.
“I was riding my motorcycle across the country to raise $90,000 to support diabetes research,” he said. According to Covington, all it took was a couple of phone calls to begin his journey. “I made a call to the American Diabetes Association and some friends, sold everything that I had and got on the road."
He decorated his motorcycle and bought a $2,000 trailer that is now attached to his motorcycle that he sleeps in. Last year, he rode 28,000 miles in the east and plans to do the same this year in the west to raise money and awareness for diabetes.
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Convington has partnered with the ADA to help prevent what happened to his son from happening to other people. The ADA has helped him strategize and send him to places where he can ride and talk about his son’s experience. He spends most of his time on the road attending diabetes walks and forums where he meets people and tells them about the disease and his son’s experience.
“Everybody sees me, everybody that I talk to gets a card,” he said. His favorite part of it all however, he said, is riding his motorcycle on the roads. "I love the people when they see me on the road and they honk and give me the big thumbs up and stuff like that, I think that helps out big time."
The ADA says nearly 30 million Americans have diabetes and another 86 million are at risk for developing it. Covington says more research is needed, “that’s what I’m here for,” he said.
So far, Covington has raised more than $6,000, which is short on his goal, but he is certain he will reach it soon. His next stop is Lodi, before heading to Arizona and Texas.
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